“It is deep January. The sky is hard. The stalks are firmly rooted in ice.” by Wallace Stevens

“Pam’s Pick” this week is “Bellman & Black” by Diane Setterfield, the story of one moment in time that can haunt you forever. Killing a bird with his slingshot as a boy, William Bellman grows up a wealthy family man unaware of how his act of childhood cruelty will have terrible consequences until a wrenching tragedy compels him to enter into a macabre bargain with a stranger in black.

New Fiction: “The Absence of Mercy” by John Burley, this is the story of a small town doctor. Dr. Stevenson must weigh the need to catch a killer against his fears for his family’s safety.

“Hazardous Duty” by W.E.B. Griffin this is a Presidential Agent novel. Mexican drug cartels are shooting up the streets of Laredo and El Paso. Somali pirates are holding three U.S. tankers for ransom. The President is fed up. So fed up that he calls in Castillo and his men. The outcome can only be hazardous duty.

“Red 1-2-3” by John Katzenbach, in this game of cat-and-mouse, the Reds must track down the Wolf before he silences each of them forever. Three women with the only thing in common is their red hair and the killer after them.

“The Invention of Wings” by Sue Monk Kidd, this story follows Hetty “Handful” Grimke, a Charleston slave, and Sarah, the daughter of the wealthy Grimke family. On Sarah’s eleventh birthday, she is given ownership over Handful, who is to be her handmaid and follows the next thirty-five years of their lives.

“Forget Me Not” by Fern Michaels, this is the story of family secrets, friendship, and second chances. Lucy was sent to boarding school at a young age and never really knew her parents. When they are killed in a car wreck Lucy learns she never really knew them at all.

“Hunted” by Karen Robards, this is an exciting new thriller. Detective Reed Ware receives a panicked call from Hollis “Holly” Bayard, a teenage street tough with a penchant for amateur sleuthing who stumbles upon the scene of a drug-deal-turned- murder. Ware finds he and his friend’s lives in danger. The crime Holly witnessed could be the biggest police cover-up this side of New Orleans. (also in large print)

New Large Print: “Big Sky Secrets” by Linda Lael Miller, this is book six in the Big Sky series. Ria is starting to settle down into country life what a close encounter with a buffalo may make her want to leave. The monster belongs to the cowboy next door the handsome Landry who is just coming back to the country. Ria wants a home where no buffalos roam. Could Landry make her want to stay?

“Need You Now” by Beth Wiseman, this is the story of family, dependence, faith, and small-town. Darlene Henderson convinces her husband, Brad, to move their family from Houston to Round Top, Texas. She hopes to get their family life right in this different environment. But things stay busy, even in the country. Darlene gets a job and finds herself conflicted between what she has at home and new possibilities. Brad continues to work in Houston, too busy to see the cracks in his home life. The whole family must learn to grow together.

New Mystery: “No Man’s Nightingale” by Ruth Rendell, this is an Inspector Wexford novel. Wexford tries to find out who strangled the Rev. Sarah Hussain in the vicarage of St. Peter’s Church, and why. The fact that Hussain was biracial and a single mother had galvanized bigots near and far, who resented her very existence as well as her modernizing the liturgy. It that why she was murdered?

New Biography: “American Mirror: the Life and Art of Norman Rockwell” by Deborah Solomon, this is the story of Norman Rockwell and his art, with a wealth of unpublished letters and documents to explore the relationship between his personality and this genius in art.

New Non-fiction: “What Addicts Know” by Christopher Lawford, this book has 10 lessons from recovery to benefit everyone.

“20 Day Trips in and Around the Shawnee National Forest” by Larry P. & Donna J. Mahan, this is an easy to use guide that highlights 20 exciting day or weekend trips within and near the Shawnee National Forest.

“Calm Mama, Happy Baby” by Derek O’Neill, this book will teach you simple ways to tame tears, improve sleep, and help your family thrive.

“Survival Lessons” by Alice Hoffman, this book provides a road map of how to reclaim your life from this day forward.

“Off the Beaten Path Missouri” by Patti DeLano, this is a guide to unique places in Missouri, like Stonehenge in Rolla, Leila’s Hair Museum in Independence and much more just off the main road.

“Princesses Behaving Badly” by Linda McRobbie, this is a collection of true stories of Princesses in history who did not have a fairy-tale ending.

“The Daniel Plan” by Rick Warren, this is a 40 day plan to a healthier life that includes everything from faith, food, fitness and friends.

New Audio Books: “Hazardous Duty” by W.E.B. Griffin, “Hunted” by Karen Robards, “Cross My Heart” by James Patterson, and “Miracles and Massacres” by Glenn Beck.

New CDs: “Reckless” by Jeremy Camp, and “Worth It All” by Meredith Andrews.

New DVDs: “Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters,” and “Behind the Candelabra.”

New TV Season: “CSI” season three.

TAX SERVICE: The RSVP will be here every Tuesday and Thursday, starting Feb. 4, to fill your taxes. You will need to call for an appointment 270-522-6301.

CAREGIVER’S SUPPORT GROUP: We will be starting a Caregiver’s Support Group, the fourth Tuesday each month at 12 noon in the board room of the library. This group is open to anyone who is a caregiver.

LEGO NIGHT: Come join us for a family night of fun, games - and LEGOs!! On Thursday, Feb. 27 (5:30 – 7:30 p.m.) we will be hosting a LEGO night! We will have games, building stations and more. Participants are asked to pre-register at the front desk by Feb. 24. We are accepting donations of LEGOs for this event. Happy Reading!

This press release was submitted by John L. Street Library Director Pam Metts.